Making a Dramatic Entrance
Whether it’s a date, a job interview or a home, first impressions make a difference. Designing a striking entranceway is a critical part of creating an amazing house. The entrance provides introduction to a home – it sets the mood and creates expectations. In some houses, simply taking advantage of architectural elements is enough to create a dramatic entrance. In others, careful and thoughtful decoration transforms an otherwise plain room into an interesting transitional space.
Here are a few of my favorite ideas for creating a dramatic and fantastic entrance:
Here are a few of my favorite ideas for creating a dramatic and fantastic entrance:
This space has two really cool elements: the bridge and the windows. The home's architecture takes full advantage of a hilly site and a gorgeous view, creating an entrance that's as dramatic as it is beautiful.
This Asian-influenced entranceway plays with light while it emphasizes the home's natural wooded setting. I love that it feels both modern and warm at the same time.
With a simple archway framing a similarly shaped front door, this entrance is understated, but interesting. Echoing the minimal and powerful architecture of Spanish missions, its clean look is powerful thanks to its lack of ornamentation.
Similar to the home above, this entrance eschews ornamentation in favor of simplicity and clean lines. However, the power here lies in the entrance's sharp modern angles and square shapes.
The entrance to a garden deserves as much thought as to the main home. In this case, a nearly hidden gate provides a feeling of privacy in the outdoor space, while still offering a glimpse of the dramatic greenery.
Traditional design elements, including interesting moldings, gold frames and (of course) a fantastic black and white checked floor transform this foyer from a boring room into an elegant waiting area. I love, too, the unexpected purple chair - it adds a little levity, keeping the space from crossing the line into stuffy.
Orange makes a bold statement anyplace - especially as the first thing seen when walking into a home. The color takes the driver's seat here, bringing excitement to a simple table and piece of art, promising interesting and unexpected design in the rest of the house.
Sometimes a cool door is enough to change a whole space. This plain white entryway is made interesting by an unusual window on an otherwise traditional door.
This is another case in which the door adds the drama - but in a subtle way. Painted a cool green color, this door draws the eye (certainly without breaking the bank).
With an English estate feel, this dramatic arch adds stately importance to the entryway. Visitors to this home will surely know they are not entering just any old yard.
